Purpose

The City of Montgomery maintains a media advisory distribution list for the limited administrative purpose of disseminating factual, time-sensitive information regarding official City actions, meetings, announcements, and public safety matters.

This policy is intended to ensure consistent, efficient, and viewpoint-neutral distribution of official information. Inclusion on the media advisory distribution list does not constitute endorsement of any outlet’s editorial content, viewpoints, or reporting practices.

Scope

This policy applies to all requests for inclusion on the City’s media advisory distribution list, including outlets currently included and future applicants.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for inclusion on the City’s media advisory distribution list, a media outlet must meet the following threshold criteria:

• Regularly publishes or broadcasts original content related to news or public affairs.

• Has an established publication or broadcast history of at least six (6) months.

• Maintains a publicly accessible platform.

• Provides verifiable contact information for an editor, producer, or assignment desk.

• Distributes content to a general audience rather than solely to members of an advocacy organization or closed network.

Functional Use of Media Advisories

The City’s media advisory distribution list is a limited communication tool designed to support dissemination of time-sensitive, event-based, or announcement-based information.

In addition to meeting the eligibility criteria, the City may consider whether inclusion of an outlet reasonably serves the intended function of media advisories.

Operational and Administrative Considerations

In administering the media advisory distribution list, the City may consider neutral operational factors, including but not limited to:

• Whether the outlet routinely disseminates time-sensitive event-based or announcement-based information.
• Whether the outlet maintains reliable and functional contact information for receiving advisories.
• Whether inclusion of the outlet is administratively manageable and does not materially impair City operations.
• Whether the outlet’s platform format is reasonably aligned with the limited purpose of media advisories.

Application Process

All outlets seeking inclusion must submit a Media Advisory Distribution Application in the form prescribed by the City.

Submission of an application does not guarantee inclusion.

Review and Determination

Applications will be reviewed based on the eligibility criteria and administrative considerations set forth in this policy.

Decisions shall be administrative in nature and shall not be based on viewpoints, political positions, editorial perspectives, or content opinions.

Denial and Reapplication

If an application is denied, the City will provide a brief written explanation referencing the applicable eligibility criteria or administrative considerations.

An outlet may reapply after six (6) months or upon demonstrating that the identified criteria have been satisfied.

Reservation of Rights

The City reserves the right to update or modify this policy as necessary to meet operational or legal requirements.